Chapter 12 #2
“Tessa Grant? Is that really you?”
She turned to find herself face-to-face with James Finch, her high school boyfriend. He looked older, of course, with threads of silver at his temples, but his wide, slightly crooked smile was just as she remembered it.
“James,” she said, genuinely pleased to see him. “It’s been forever.”
“Fifteen years, give or take.” He leaned against the booth’s counter. “Dad told me you were back in town. How long are you staying?”
She shrugged. “Not sure yet. It depends on my father’s recovery.”
“Well, it’s good to see you. You look great.”
“Thanks. So do you.” She gestured to his left hand, where a wedding band gleamed. “Married life suits you.”
He grinned. “Ten years next spring. Two kids, too. They’re around here somewhere with my wife, probably loading up on sugar.”
“That’s wonderful,” she said, and meant it.
There had been a time when she’d imagined a different future, one where she might have been that wife, and those might have been her children.
But that path had closed when she left Sweet River Falls, and she found she had no regrets about it. “You always wanted a family.”
“And you always wanted out,” James said, but there was no bitterness in his tone. “Did you find what you were looking for in Denver?”
Had she? She’d built a respectable career, had a decent apartment, and colleagues she respected. But friends? Real connections? Those had fallen by the wayside as she threw herself into her work and used exhaustion as a shield against loneliness. “Parts of it. Still working on the rest.”
He nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Aren’t we all? Well, I’d better go round up the kids. Good seeing you.”
After James left, she found herself scanning the market again for Beckett.
She spotted him helping a young boy select an ornament, his expression patient and kind as he listened to the child’s careful deliberations.
The sight made something twist in her chest, a feeling she wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge or admit.
Annie returned with fresh supplies, and they worked side by side as the afternoon deepened toward evening. “How are we doing on inventory?” Annie asked, tallying their sales.
She checked their stock. “Almost out of the cinnamon blend, but plenty of everything else.”
“Perfect. We’re ahead of last year’s sales already.” Annie beamed, clearly delighted. “Having you here has been a godsend. I usually have to manage this alone.”
“I’m happy to help. It’s been fun.” She was surprised to find she truly meant it.
“Enough fun to stick around through Christmas?” Annie asked, her tone casual but her eyes hopeful.
“I’m not sure. Everything happened so fast with Dad’s stroke and me coming back... I haven’t had time to think about when I’ll return to Denver.”
This wasn’t entirely true. She’d been thinking about it constantly, especially during those quiet moments when she found herself actually enjoying being back in Sweet River Falls.
Her leave from the hospital was open-ended, a fact she’d been careful not to share with her father.
Dr. Foster had been clear: “Take all the time you need, Tessa. The ER will still be here when you’re ready. ”
If she was ready.
Annie nodded, not pushing further. “Well, whatever you choose, know that you have people here who care about you.”
The simple statement hit her harder than she expected. Did she have people in Denver who truly cared? Colleagues who would notice if she disappeared? Neighbors who would check on her if she didn’t show up? The answer made her throat tighten.
“Thank you. That means a lot,” she managed.
As the day progressed into early evening, the market took on a magical quality.
Christmas lights twinkled against the darkening sky, and the scent of pine and cinnamon filled the air.
She found herself caught up in the festive atmosphere, laughing at Annie’s stories about past Christmas markets and joining in when a group of carolers passed by their booth.
For the first time in longer than she could remember, she felt present, connected to the moment rather than anxiously anticipating the next crisis.
She was arranging a fresh batch of gingerbread cookies when a commotion near the town square caught her attention. A woman’s voice rose above the general market noise, high and panicked.
“Mandy? Mandy, where are you? Has anyone seen my daughter?”
Tessa looked up to see a young woman frantically moving between booths, her expression terrified. People were stopping to help, asking questions and looking around.
“What’s happening?” Tessa asked Annie, who was already stepping out from behind their booth.
“Sounds like someone’s child is missing,” Annie said, her face creased with concern. “That’s Emily Brown. Her daughter Mandy is about four.”
Without hesitation, she followed Annie toward the distraught mother. Years of emergency room training kicked in, focusing her mind and steadying her nerves. This was familiar territory—the ability to stay calm when others couldn’t.
“Emily,” Annie said as they reached the woman. “What happened? When did you last see Mandy?”
Emily’s eyes were wide with fear. “Just a few minutes ago. She was right beside me at the hot chocolate stand, and then I turned to pay, and she was gone. She’s wearing a red coat with a white fur hood. Please, she’s only four. She’s never wandered off before.”
“We’ll find her,” Tessa said firmly, using the same tone she employed with panicking family members in the ER. “She can’t have gotten far, and there are plenty of people to help look.”
Already, word was spreading through the crowd. Nora Cassidy appeared and leaned close. “You’re doing a great job. Go ahead. They’ll listen to you.”
Tessa nodded, efficiently taking charge.
“Everyone, stay calm,” she announced in a voice that carried.
“We’re looking for four-year-old Mandy Brown.
She’s wearing a red coat. Market vendors, please check under your tables and behind your displays.
Parents, keep your children close. Let’s spread out and cover the whole square. ”
As people began spreading out, she felt a presence beside her and turned to find Beckett.
The familiar scent of pine and sawdust that always seemed to surround him was oddly comforting in the midst of the growing chaos.
His face was set with worry and determination, and his eyes scanned the crowd with focused intensity.
“I’ll take the north end,” he said quietly, his voice steady and reassuring against the backdrop of worried murmurs and Emily’s barely contained sobs.
She nodded, a wave of relief washing through her at his calm approach.
Her heart was pounding with a familiar adrenaline rush, but unlike the panic attacks that had plagued her in Denver, this felt purposeful and controlled.
“Look for small spaces a child might squeeze into. And check with the vendors selling toys or candy. She might have been attracted to those.”
He nodded, his gaze meeting hers for a brief moment before he disappeared into the crowd, his tall figure weaving purposefully through the sea of concerned faces and holiday decorations.